Page 17 of Serving the CEO

“I am an editor,” I replied, sipping from the ice water in front of me. “I head up the women’s self-help division at the publishing house where I work.”

“Oh, really?” A condescending smirk curled his lips. “Not children’s books?”

Oh, I wanted to hit him. “We currently don’t have a children’s books division—something I’d like the publishing house to remedy, but they’re relatively new, so hopefully, they’ll tackle it later down the road. Children’s publishing is a hugely important field, you know.”

“Oh?” The smirk remained in place.

“Absolutely. Kids introduced to books early in life do better in school.” I took another sip of my water, staring at him with flat disregard. “It all starts with reading.”

He made a couple more attempts to start a conversation, first about my work, then moving on to his. He was a day trader, and after my noncommittal replies, he became ruder. “So what do you do to have fun?” he asked after the server brought out the appetizer he’d ordered and my salad.

I explained I rarely had much time for fun, but as his comments grew more vulgar, I calculated the cost for my food and drink—I wasn’t staying any longer than necessary. Halfway through my salad, I excused myself, taking my purse with me and ducking into the bathroom. I freshened my lipstick and texted Jami with an SOS.

He smiled when I returned and sat back down, and I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. No, honey. I didn’t go to the bathroom to primp and touch up my lipstick for your benefit. Instead, I smiled back, already feeling more relaxed.The phone rang exactly two minutes later, and I picked it up with a frown. “I’m sorry…it’s my roommate. I better make sure everything is okay.” I turned the volume up loud enough so he could eavesdrop.

Carl picked up his beer, although I saw the flash of annoyance in his eyes.

“Jess, I’m so sorry, but the water pipes just burst—everything is flooding. Please, I need you to get back here as fast as possible!” Jami said, her voice panicky and worried.

“Oh, no!”I was already fumbling money out of my purse before she even finished apologizing. Five minutes later, I was heading down into the subway station to catch a ride back home.

I’d call Mom and apologize. Maybe, if I were lucky, she’d listen this time when I told her to please…stop setting me up on blind dates.

EIGHT

DERRICK

“So, what did you learn?”

Sitting across from me, chopsticks in hand, Drew quirked a brow. “You sure as hell are impatient. I haven’t even had my first bite.”

“You’re the one who showed up late. I don’t have all day.” Taking a sip of sake, I waved a hand. “Take a bite, then talk.”

We were at our favorite sushi place on a quick lunch break before heading back to the office and it wasn’t because I’d been craving it. Drew had dodged me all morning, only agreeing to meet if we came here. And then he was late.

He ate a few bites of salmon roll, took a sip of sake, and finally leaned back like he was ready to talk. “You know, having me spy on an employee is a new low for you, my friend.”

“You do it every day,” I reminded him. “You’re the only one who knows everything about every employee.”

“No, I don’t.” He actually looked offended. “I don’t spy because I don’t need to. I know our employees because I’m nice and I talk to them. I build connections with them. Relationships. If you actually talked to the people who worked for you, took an interest in their lives, maybe you’d know a thing or two and wouldn’t have to come to me to find out what you want to know. It’s not my fault you prefer to sit up in your tower and refuse to mingle with the little people.”

“Yeah, well, fuck you, too.” I scowled and took another drink of sake.

He only laughed at my response, taking a sip of his before picking up the chopsticks and pointing them at me. “Well, if you were looking for your polar opposite, you couldn’t have picked anybody better. Jessica Ellis is everything you’re not.”

Somehow, I didn’t think he meant that as a compliment and it made my words come out harsher than I intended. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Well, for one, she believes in marriage and happily-ever-after.” He hitched up a shoulder in a shrug. “You’re a bachelor for life.”

My eyes narrowed. “And how did you find that out?”

He gave me a slow smile that said he saw far more than I wanted him to. “Easy. She has a dating profile, and I looked it up.”

My curiosity almost led me to ask the website's name, but I quickly dismissed the idea. Online dating had never been my thing. If I wanted to ask someone out, I would do it in person. Not hiding behind some stupid profile.

“I’m guessing you already know the professional stuff,” Drew said.

I nodded and made a gesture for him to hurry up.

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